The Organization of KLA War Veterans (OVL-UÇK) has responded to Specialist Chambers President Ekaterina Trendafilova following her video statement defending the court’s independence, witness and victim protection, and its commitment to the rule of law.
OVL-UÇK called it “strange and even ridiculous” to suggest that a court has the right to choose the law governing its own activities.
“Ms. Trendafilova should know that in Kosovo, laws are adopted by the Assembly. The Specialist Chambers exist because they were established by the Assembly; therefore, they have no authority over the institution that created them,” the organization stated.
OVL-UÇK also accused Trendafilova of arrogance, arguing that lecturing the Assembly on the rule of law while treating one’s own interpretation as unquestionable is unacceptable. The organization defended criticism of court decisions as a legitimate right and insisted that no judgment can erase what it calls the just nature of the Kosovo Liberation War.
“Kosovo’s freedom was won by those who rose against genocide, and the country’s statehood rests on their sacrifice,” OVL-UÇK said, accusing the Specialist Chambers of lacking both dignity and professionalism.
The statement comes amid growing criticism in Kosovo of the Hague-based court following the convictions of former KLA leaders.
